Buckle.



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Patented June 9, 1903.

GEORGE w. MQQBES, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent Il'o. 730,551, dated June 9, 1903.

Application filed March 7, 1903. Serial No. 146,720. (No model.)

To all whom, it natty concern):

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. Moonns, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and useful Buckle, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to harness-buckles, and has for its object to simplify, cheapen, and improve the construction and dispense with the loose or pivoted tongue and likewise provide means whereby the straps may be inserted laterally and obviate the necessity for threading the billets through the buckleframe; and the invention consists in certain novel features of the construction, as hereinafter shown and described, and specified in the claims. I

In the drawings illustrative of theinvention, in which corresponding parts are denoted by like designating characters, Figure 1 is a perspective view, and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation, of the buckleframe. Fig. 3 is a side elevation. Fig. 4 is a transverse section, enlarged, taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

The improvements may be adapted to buckles employed upon various parts of the bar'- ness and may be of any desired size and strength, and consist of spaced sidemembers 10 11, connected by end membersl2 13, and with a backwardly-cnrving hook 14;, extending in advance of the end bar 13, as shown.

Connecting the side members intermediately of the end members is atransverse bar 15, the bar located beyond the general surface of the side members at one side and provided with a strap-engaging tongue 16, which extends beyond the opposite general surface of the buckle-frame, as shown. 7 c

The bar 15 divides the buckle-frame transversely, and formed through .the side membore 10 11 at opposite sides of the cross-bar are clefts 17 18 to afford means for the introduction of the straps into the buckle and obviating the necessity for threading them through the frame. This greatly simplifies the work of connecting and disconnecting the straps and is an important feature of the invention when considered in connection with other features.

Connecting the side members 10 11 between the end member 13 and the transverse bar 15 is another bar 19, preferably curved forwardly or toward the hook member 14.

The bar 19 connects the upper edges of the sidemembers 1O 11 or at the sides opposite the bar 15, which a re'formed with rearwardlyextending ribs or flanges 20, merging into and extending along the side members and overhanging the area within the buckleframe and extending over the outer edges of the straps, as indicated in Fig. 3. By this simple means the. strap-engagiug surface of the bar 19 is materially increased and the grip correspondingly increased, thereby rendering ,it less liable to fracture or to slip from the buckle. The inwardly-extending ribs also coact with the tongue 16 and assist in holding the straps in engagement therewith.

All the parts will be formed in one single piece, preferably of malleable iron, and may be of any size or strength and will likewise be manufactured in graduated sizes, as with other buckles.

The buckles may be plated, japanned, or

otherwise coated or ornamented.

klo consisting of a frame composed of spaced side members connected by transverse end members,an intermediate transverse bar connecting the side members beyond one side and provided with a strap-engaging tongue extending therefrom beyond the opposite side of the frame, a transverse bar connecting the onteredges of the side members between said tongue-bar and the adjacent end bar and merging into ribs extending along the inner edges of the side members and forming supports for the outer edges of the strap when in position in the buckle-frame, and oppositely-disposed clefts through said side members upon opposite sides of said tongue-bar, 16

substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE W. MOORES.

Witnesses: E. J MURPHY, CHAS. A. DUoHAMP. 

